A Night Gone To Waste
by RoseHedgehog
Summary: Takes place two months after Resident Evil 3. Jill Valentine finally gets the courage to ask her partner from the S.T.A.R.S. force out for a drink on a night she has free from work. But to her dismay, she ends up getting stood up. Now she's left to gulp down margaritas bitterly at the bar, all alone. But will her night be completely ruined? JillxCarlos. R&R.


The night was rainy and gloomy, much like Jill's mood at the moment. She sat at the bar on one of the many single stools, her thin fingers

wrapped around her third glass of alcohol. Her drink of choice for the night? Margaritas. She just needed something after the night she

had been having. Looking around the bar, it was pretty empty where she resided on the stools right by the bar. The only company she

had was the bartender, who was probably in his young twenties, who silently cleaned the empty glasses left by previous customers.

Everyone else was on the dance floor to the far left of the bar. She sighed, turning her head away from the dancing patrons. They were

out, having fun, and here she was, wallowing her sorrows in the bottom of each glass of alcohol she drank. It wasn't like she didn't want

to have fun tonight. She did. It was a Friday night after all, and she finally had time for herself to do as she pleased. But the person she

had invited out bailed on her at the last minute. She bitterly went back to gulping down her margarita when his face appeared in her

subconscious. She had finally gotten the courage to ask her partner on the S.T.A.R.S. force, Chris Redfield, out for a drink. When he

accepted, she couldn't have been happier.

But here it was, Friday night, and he was nowhere to be found. She waited and waited. Nothing. She waited some more. No Chris. Finally,

as she contemplates leaving, she gets a call. She answers, all her previous doubts and disappointments fading away in the cool night air.

But as he tells her he cannot make it for their date, those feelings return all at once. Her stomach twists and turns unnaturally, so much

so she feels a bit nauseated. Tears begin to form in her eyes ever so slightly, and as she parts her lips to speak, her voice cracks, and

she chokes out desperately, "That's fine. Goodbye Chris." She doesn't let him say another word, not even make a sound to her outcry.

She presses the red "End Call" button on her cell, and tosses it angrily into her small black clutch in her right hand. After that, she decided

to stay here, at the bar, and have a drink or two before heading home to sleep. It wasn't like she would have been able to sleep right

now anyway. Those one or two drinks led to a third one, and soon, a fourth one, once she was done with this half full one sitting right in

front of her.

"Hey. Can I just get a beer?" A deep voice cooed to the right, in a very familiar Spanish accent. Jill turned her head, and her lips parted in

shock as her eyes met those of… "Carlos!" She nearly screamed in astonishment. He looked pretty much the same as she remembered,

his tanned skin, his muscular arms peeking out from the sleeves of his shirt, and his soft locks of brunette hair. The only difference was

his attire. Instead of his Umbrella Mercenary uniform, he sported a light gray basic tee, dark blue jeans, and black boots. "Long time no

see, huh?" He replied with a wide smile on his face before he scooped her up in an embrace. "I missed you." She tensed up against him,

due to the contact but his confession also. She had no idea he had missed her so much, and she wasn't used to this sort of affection with

Carlos. Back in Raccoon City, the most contact they had with each other was when she had been infected by Nemesis' tentacle and he

had to carry her to the chapel to rest while he got the cure. They hadn't even hugged goodbye before parting ways after the rescue

helicopter dropped them off. She wasn't sure why.

Somewhere in her train of thought, he had let go of her, and resumed to sitting in the stool next to hers. The bartender returned to give

Carlos his beer. "Thanks". Carlos took a long sip of his fizzy, cold pint. Putting the half empty glass back down on the table, he turned to

Jill, looking her up and down. "Jill, you look... really nice. Got big plans tonight?" She had to look down at her body to refresh her memory

of what she had put on for the night. With the emotional rollercoaster she had been on, she was surprised to see that she had dressed

quite nicely for the evening. On her pale hourglass figure was a black strapless, sleeveless dress, paired with sheer black tights, and

black pumps. Her brown hair, still cut short in a pixie cut and usually straight had been curled to pin up doll perfection. Her lips, usually

pink, were stained red from a tube of lipstick she only used for special occasions. She shook her head "No" and finished off the rest of her

margarita. He could see the distress in her eyes and body language clearly. "Well... you look too nice to be out just because." He

complimented, trying to earn a smile out of her. But it was to no avail. She just stared into space as she held onto her empty margarita

glass.

"I… I was supposed to meet up with someone tonight. But they decided that… they had more important things to do…" Her response was

hesitant. But she had said it, clear enough for him to understand what she said. Carlos sat in silence for a moment, trying to figure out

what to say or do next. He hated seeing Jill like this. She wouldn't even look at him. He grabbed hold of his half full glass of beer, and

drank the rest of it, closing his eyes as he gulped it down. Putting the empty glass back down on the table, he sighed and then said to

her, "Jill... whoever didn't show up tonight doesn't deserve you. You're an amazing woman. Smart, good-hearted, you're on the S.T.A.R.S.

force so you can hold your own in any situation, and let's not forget how hot… I mean, how gorgeous you are." He could've kicked himself

for that slip up. He was a "smooth talker" sure, but with Jill's current emotional state, he needed to have less smooth lines, and more

comforting words. But alas, she smiled. He found himself smiling as well. It was good to see her happy again. He hadn't seen it since their

escape from Raccoon City.

"Are you actually trying to comfort me, Carlos?" She finally faced him, as she turned her body to her right. He nodded. "Yeah. Or at least

making an attempt to. I don't know how helpful I'm being. Or how not helpful." He bashfully admitted. She chuckled lightly. "Don't worry.

You're helping." She told him, looking directly into his warm chocolate eyes. "Good." He said with a nod. They sat in silence for a bit, until

he took notice of the dance floor to the far left of the bar, occupied by just a few dancers. "Wanna dance?" She looked at him like he had

said something completely outrageous and out of this world. "What? Could be fun, you know." He assured while shrugging his shoulders

slightly. She smiled from ear to ear, light laughter emitting from her red lips. "Alright. Let's go." She stood up from the stool, grabbing

Carlos' hand and leading him with her to the dance floor, which was tiled with squares and lit up in different colors every few seconds.

There was slow music playing softly. Carlos took Jill by her hand, placing one hand on her waist, and the other cupped with her left hand.

Her right hand rested on his shoulder. They began to move slowly, gazing into each other's eyes. "So what were you doing before you

got here, Carlos?" He shrugged. "Nothing exciting. Just work. I figured I'd stop by here, have a beer or two before heading home since I

actually have a night off for once." She nodded in understanding. She knew all too well from personal experience. That's why it hurt so

much. That he had chosen to not show up tonight. It's not like she got to go out and enjoy herself anytime she wanted. But she still knew

how to have fun when she got time off. Chris, however, did not. He was married to the job. Carlos' voice interrupted her thoughts. "I'm

really, really… happy… I got to see you tonight, Jill. I didn't think I'd see you again after the helicopter rescue." He was choosing his words

carefully. As much as he wanted to tell her, he was trying his hardest not to let it slip out. He didn't think this was the right time. She was

vulnerable, and he didn't want to take advantage of that. Besides, as much "game" as he had with the ladies, he didn't want to just hook

up with Jill. He had feelings for her. He wanted her to be his girlfriend. And he feared that if he told her right here, right now how he felt

about her that he could either be rejected on the spot, ruining their friendship in the process or become a rebound.

Jill laid her head on his shoulder, placing both of her hands on his back, as she closed her eyes. Carlos moved his hands to her waist, as

he held her firmly but gently. "I'm happy too, Carlos. I missed you too after everything." She softly cooed into his ear. He couldn't help but

smile at this. She did miss him. She was happy to see him. He couldn't have been more intoxicated with joy. "I should have invited you

instead tonight. Then I wouldn't have been crying like that outside before. I never cry. I'm a strong girl." His heart sunk at this. Whoever it

was didn't deserve Jill's time of day, let alone her tears. "Well, next time, just invite me, eh?" He suggested, half-jokingly. But he was

mostly serious. She lightly laughed into his shoulder, nodding. "Yeah."

Having danced the night away, the two decided it was time to go home. Going outside, Jill wobbled a little from the pumps on her feet,

which by this point were killing her. "You okay?" Carlos asked. "Yeah. Just my heels are starting to really hurt." She complained, bending a

bit as she tried to shift her heels on her feet a little with one hand in attempt to make them feel at least a little more comfortable. But it

was to no avail. They still hurt like hell. "Don't worry, I'll carry you." He began to walk over to her, his arms out in front of him. "No! Carlos,

I don't think that's necessary." She protested, taking a few steps back, and wincing in the process. He picked her up anyway. "It's no big

deal. I've done this before, and I'll do it again, no problem." He was of course referring to when Jill had been infected with the T-Virus by

Nemesis, and he had to carry her to the chapel in the clock tower while he fetched the Vaccine from the Hospital. It wasn't a time either of

them favorably thought of. She would have rather been dead then turn into one of those creatures. And he couldn't bear the thought of

her dying. So he rushed to that hospital, got the Vaccine, and even fought off Nemesis as he returned again for more S.T.A.R.S. members.

He had to be quick and brave to keep the monster from pursuing the chapel where Jill lay completely vulnerable from being infected. But

he managed to fight off the creature and afterwards administered the cure. But it was a time where he had saved her, and neither of

them would forget it.

"You're too sweet for your own good, Carlos." She told him, wrapping her arms loosely around his neck as he carried her, walking down

the sidewalk. He laughed at this. "Well I try to be, when I'm not shooting my cheesy pick-up lines with my sexy accent." She joined him in

his laughter. He was not only sweet, but also a bit of a goofball, and she loved that about him. He knew how to make her laugh, as well

as smile. He also knew how to make her feel safe. She felt like nothing could harm her around him. They had gotten through Raccoon

City's nightmare together, and here he was, carrying her home for the night when her pumps started to hurt her feet which had been

subjected to many hours of wear. After a few blocks, he put her down gently to the ground on her own two feet in front of her apartment

complex. "Thank you, Carlos. You really came through for me for tonight." He smiled, shrugging his shoulders slightly. "Not a problem. It

was nice to catch up with you." She reached out, pulling him into a warm hug, and he returned it, rubbing her back gently as he held her.

When they pulled away she said, "I'll call you next time I'm off so we can have a drink together again." As she turned her back to him,

beginning to make her way to the door, he called out her name.

"Jill."

She turned back around, curiosity swimming in her eyes. "Yeah Carlos?" He took hold of her hands, which rested at her sides. "One more

thing." Before she had a chance to even ask what he meant, he pulled her closer, and their lips met. At first she was unresponsive,

mostly from shock. But after having a few seconds to get a grip on what was happening, she responded, her lips crashing with his, and

her hands traveling up and down from his neck to his back. When they pulled away, Carlos smiled and said, "I'm ready for that drink

anytime, Jill. Just lemme know. And we could do dinner too if you want." With that, he turned around, and made his way for his own

home, leaving her to gaze at his figure in the distance, as a smile lingered on her face. It seemed the night hadn't gone to waste after all.

_Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed and please review if you have a moment to!_


End file.
